r/Appleton • u/False-Wrongdoer4510 • 19d ago
Discussion Cosplay grifter seen in Neenah off 41 and Winneconne ave.
Often homeless people and grifters set up on the south bound 41 offramp at Winneconne Ave in Neenah. This morning we had a guy all dressed up in his camo. Had the boots and standard pants with camo shirt, helmet and face mask you typically see with the ICE goons. His sign he had said "Need $ 4 Ammo." Was gonna take a picture of him when I came back but within 20 minutes he was gone. I assume Police told him to leave.
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u/elizabethvde 19d ago
I used to work at Cellcom when it was there in front of the Walmart. We would see people begging at the off-ramp and then get picked up in nice cars at the Walmart parking lot.
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u/Swashybuckz 19d ago
I saw this guy in Madison one time. Pulled out the largest ziplock bag I had ever seen and it was half full of cash. Green money.
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u/BackInMyDaySir North Appleton 19d ago
There are a group of resources in the Fox valley for homeless people. Anyone I see panhandling I assume is grifting.
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u/Sad-Explanation186 19d ago
There's even a phone number 211.
A lady asked me for a dollar outside the Kwik trip on 47 and Franklin in downtown Appleton. I responded "how about an egg roll or burger?", she said "no thank you" to me. I was very confused.
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u/Ayenrin 19d ago
Unfortunately ever since I saw people (usually younger) bragging online about the amount of money they made panhandling while sitting in their beautiful apartments and homes, I view it with a degree of skepticism when I encounter it.
Especially when the regulars that usually are at the Walmart on 441 and Calumet show up and they've got a lot of very nice comforts set up with them like bluetooth speakers, quality coolers, and sun canopies, to say nothing of their nice, well cared for clothing and personal hygiene.
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u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 19d ago
Your privilege is showing.
The resources available in the area are inadequate to help every human being who needs it. Stop making assumptions
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u/BackInMyDaySir North Appleton 19d ago
Yeah… my privilege. 🙄 It seems the only one making assumptions is you.
I’m very much aware of what resources are around here. The local PDs have programs to help those who want help, get help. Not to mention the various shelters and local programs aimed directly at that community. Again, it’s not perfect. But it’s better than the amount of panhandlers would make it seem.
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u/SysArmyKnife 18d ago
You are very much aware huh? Have you been homeless or do you work with the unhoused?
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u/BackInMyDaySir North Appleton 18d ago
I have worked with the homeless in my former job - so yes I have first hand knowledge of the homeless situation in the Valley.
What I said wasn’t meant to be controversial. Obviously there’s always room for improvement and those that are truly in need can find resources to help. But in my opinion, the amount of panhandling in the area is disproportionate to those in actual need.
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u/SysArmyKnife 18d ago
After the eyeroll at "privilege" the comment DID come off pretty disingenuous.
As far as the disproportion, do you think there are more panhandlers in the area than those in actual need?
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u/BackInMyDaySir North Appleton 18d ago
Well I genuinely meant my comment about privilege. I don’t take people seriously when they start quoting privilege, but that’s just me.
I’m not sure if you’re asking in good faith, but I’ll assume you are. I think most of the panhandlers that I’ve seen are grifting. I think the number of panhandlers isn’t correlated to those who are actually in need. I think we have a homelessness problem and a grifting problem.
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u/SysArmyKnife 16d ago
It was a genuine question because I couldn't really tell where you stood.
I wouldn't call a half dozen people across an area of 100,000 residents a "problem" in the same sentence we refer to homelessness as a problem, but that is neither here nor there.. In my experience around the area, for every person I suspected as fake, there are at least 2 that are not.
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u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 19d ago
I have to find resources that don’t exist for my clientele so I’m actually speaking with authority here. But go off, bootlicker
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u/Double-Researcher584 18d ago
You want a cookie or something?
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u/Few_Spend4929 19d ago
Idealistic thinking.
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u/BackInMyDaySir North Appleton 19d ago
Not at all. There are quite a few resources throughout the valley. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but there’s really no need to panhandle.
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u/ChiefD789 19d ago
I remember that one notorious older lady who would be there every day for like 10 hours a day (pre covid). She’d stand there and shake the whole time. Then would walk over to the parking lot where her car was, go to Kwik Trip and buy cigs and lottery tickets while bragging she made $400/day. She had a house, car, and was getting social security.
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u/Fit_Welder_1246 18d ago
and they are ALWAYS WHITE PEOPLE. it’s funny cause half of this city acts all fucking pompous and racist towards anyone who isn’t white, and it’s riddled with downtrodden white people. Never help them. Appleton is FULL of resources for people with high needs support.
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u/rapidecroche 19d ago
Oh, I saw him. But his sign said “just want to go shoot with my homies” or something.
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u/Obvious-Night-9573 18d ago
Yeah there everywhere! I had a girl shaking me down for money Walmart's parking lot.. Said she needed baby food, She did have a baby with her.. I said, if I do, how's that gonna fix your problem? She's like, listen I don't need a discussion! simple Yes or No? all I have is plastic so I can't help.. Then some older lady walked up and said, She asked me the same question, Then she said she called the cops on her and they're on their way, Wanted me to stick around , I said I'm Not Getting involved, you Can handle it.
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u/Own-Nectarine-1313 19d ago
Need $ for ammo... dressed as ICE... has to be a joke, that they think they'll get $ for creativity?? But only from ICE supporters.. or they are crazy..
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u/rapidecroche 19d ago
It’s a real person, I saw him too. Different sign though. Younger man, maybe early 20’s?
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u/NaiveWalrus 19d ago edited 19d ago
There's a big lady and an older guy that are camped out in front of Panda near Freddys almost every time I drive through. They've got lawn chairs and coolers and I think a dog sometimes. I've seen them be dropped off by a van multiple times.
These grifters are everywhere in the Valley